


Now I Know What Love Is

by Higgles123



Category: Vikings (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, baby cuteness, daddy rollo, soft rollo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-15 17:07:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28941948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Higgles123/pseuds/Higgles123
Relationships: Rollo (Vikings)/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 4





	Now I Know What Love Is

The clang of metal against metal echoed through the air. Rollo grinned down at his young nephew, amused by the sheer grit and determination on his face as he tried his hardest to fight back against the rather gentle assault he was under. 

“Is that the best you’ve got, Bjorn?” Rollo goaded playfully.

Björn scowled and for a moment he looked identical to his mother, but then his father’s resolve flittered across his young face and he began to fight back against his uncle in earnest. 

“That’s it, Bjorn,” Rollo praised him. “Use your anger, that’s it.” 

“Rollo!” 

The panicked shout made Rollo stop and when he saw Helga, Floki’s fair haired wife, running towards him he dropped his shield immediately. 

“Is it time?” 

“Yes,” Helga smiled, her dark eyes twinkling with excitement. “Lagertha told me not to come for you yet because it’s likely to be hours until the baby arrives but Astrid was adamant that you be there.” 

Rollo smiled as nervous excitement rippled through his veins. His child was finally coming into the world and he wanted to be there for every moment of it, no matter how long it took. He had made Astrid promise to call for him as soon as the pains started because he didn’t want to miss a second of it. Ragnar had been present for the births of both Bjorn and Gyda and he promised Rollo that he would want to experience the birth of his own child too. Although Ragnar had only been there in the last hour or two of both labours but Rollo didn’t want to be away from Astrid for more than a second if he could help it.

“That’s enough fighting for now, young Bjorn,” Rollo grinned. “Today your cousin will be born.” 

…………..

The hours had passed and the sun was beginning to rise bringing the people of Kattegat into a new day, yet there was still no sign of Astrid and Rollo’s child. Rollo could not let go of his doubt and fear that things were not progressing fast enough, but Lagertha and Helga continued to assure him that first babies could often take days to come.

“Which is why I wouldn’t have called for you until it was closer to the time,” Lagertha gave Helga a pointed look.

“I wanted him,” Astrid clenched her jaw and squeezed Rollo’s hand as another contraction tore through her body.

Rollo rubbed her back, pushing against the bottom of her spine and kissing the top of her head. If he was being honest he felt completely lost. He was a hardened warrior yet watching his wife suffering in unimaginable agony made him feel weak and helpless.

“I think I want to stand up for a while,” she decided, her voice quiet and tired.

Swinging her legs over the bed, Rollo helped Astrid to her feet even as he clucked and fussed about like an old mother hen.

“Walking is good, Rollo,” Lagertha patted him on the shoulder. “It will help the baby come.”

Rollo was not convinced but he daren’t argue with his formidable sister in law so he took Astrid’s hand and followed cautiously as she walked up and down the room. Every so often she would stop and her face would crumble in agony, and it was at those points she would clutch the front of Rollo’s tunic desperately and just ride out the pain with deep breaths and pained moans.

“I think this should be our only child,” Rollo murmured, lifting Astrid’s face so he could kiss her gently on the lips. “Because I do not think I could bear to watch you in such a pain again.”

“I’m fine, my love,” she tried to smile before doubling over once more.

“You were saying?” Rollo chuckled when she straightened up again and gave him a wobbly smile.

“I would be lying if I said this was easy but if it is the gods will that I should do this again and again to give you more sons then I will do it gladly.”

“And that is why I love you,” Rollo took her hand and kissed it. “Because you are the strongest and sweetest woman I know.”

…………..

Four hours later, baby Signe had entered the world. Astrid had been so happy at the first sight of her child and then she had cried because she had failed to give Rollo the son he so wanted and deserved. But Rollo had shook his head and kissed her tears away, grinning down at his newborn daughter with such adoration. She was so tiny and so beautiful with pouty pink lips and lashes that were dark and long. She waved her fist angrily as she cried in hunger and Rollo couldn’t help but laugh.

“She has the makings of a fierce shield maiden already,” he grinned.

“My daughter will not fight,” Astrid protested weakly but they both knew that Signe Rollosdottir would undoubtedly become a warrior like her father whether her mother wished it or not.

As Astrid fed their child from her breast, Rollo did not leave her side for a moment; not even to announce the arrival of his daughter to Ragnar who was waiting in the great hall with their friends. He was focused entirely on the tiny human that the gods had seen fit to reward him with, and even later when Astrid was catching up on some much needed sleep, Rollo still could not bring himself to leave her or their daughter.

“She is a beautiful little girl, Rollo,” Lagertha appeared with a smile, setting a plate of food down beside him. She reached out a hand and touched Signe’s little rosy cheeks and felt her heart warm as the baby’s nose scrunched up slightly while she shifted in her father’s arms to get comfortable.

“I used to imagine this all of the time,” Rollo murmured, lifting his eyes to meet Lagertha’s. “Only it was our child I was holding. Mine and yours.”

“Rollo,” Lagertha glared at him angrily. “I thought even you would have had more respect for your wife than to talk like that after she has just given birth to your child.”

“You misunderstand me, Lagertha. I said I _used_ to imagine such a thing,” Rollo explained, casting a glance across the room to his wife who was sleeping soundly. “But then I met Astrid and I realised that for all of the years I fancied myself in love with you, I was wrong. I was in love with the idea of being in love with you. I was in love with the idea of having a woman to warm my bed and welcome me home after raids; a woman to give me children and make me smile. When I met Astrid, I knew that anything I thought I had ever felt for you was a lie; it was just wishful thinking. Astrid showed me what true love was and now she has given me the most beautiful daughter, I feel as though my heart will burst with even more love for her.”

“You are a good man deep down Rollo,” Lagertha smiled. A genuine smile and her tears welled up with emotion.

“I am only a good man because she has made me so,” he nodded towards Astrid. “And I pray to the gods that I spend the rest of our lives making her equally as happy.”

“Of that, Rollo, I have no doubt,” Lagertha assured him. “I will leave you now with your daughter and your wife. Make sure you eat and get some rest yourself, and when Astrid wakes call for me so I can bring her some food.”

Rollo waited for Lagertha to leave before he toed off his boots and climbed into bed beside Astrid, still holding the baby in his arms.

“I love you, little one,” he spoke quietly, bending down to kiss the baby’s soft head. “And I love your mother as well. I love you both more than either of you will ever know.”


End file.
